diff --git a/build_tools/style.fish b/build_tools/style.fish
index 369ac83ea..707246825 100755
--- a/build_tools/style.fish
+++ b/build_tools/style.fish
@@ -78,17 +78,17 @@ end
 if set -q python_files[1]
     if not type -q black
         echo
-        echo $yellow'Skipping python style checks - install `black` to style python'$normal
-    else
-        echo === Running "$green"black"$normal"
-        if set -l -q _flag_check
-            if not black --check $python_files
-                echo $red"Python files are not formatted correctly."$normal
-                exit 1
-            end
-        else
-            black $python_files
+        echo $yellow'Please install `black` to style python'$normal
+        exit 127
+    end
+    echo === Running "$green"black"$normal"
+    if set -l -q _flag_check
+        if not black --check $python_files
+            echo $red"Python files are not formatted correctly."$normal
+            exit 1
         end
+    else
+        black $python_files
     end
 end